'Much Ado' about Shakespeare
William Shakespeare's romantic comedy "Much Ado About Nothing" has as much to do with learning how to love as it does with learning about letting down your guard to be able to love, said Eleanor Holdridge, director of Perseverance Theatre's latest main-stage production.

Winners of Poetry OmniBus competition announced
The Juneau Arts & Humanities Council has announced the winning poets from its recent Poetry OmniBus competition. The selected poems will start appearing inside Capital Transit System buses after mid-March.

Naked, making a point
Joe Knowles stripped to the skin and hiked into the Maine woods for two months in 1913 to make a point. The frontier was gone, and the rush to industrialization was changing life as we knew it, eroding our self-reliant, westward-fueled sense of identity.

Salt is a stone cold killer
I once worked at a hotel with a wonderful chef who had lost his ability to taste salt. Oh, he could taste it a little bit, but not like you or me. He had been cooking professionally for 40 years and he smoked to boot. His disability never affected the clientele, but I did have to occasionally test his sauces.

Remember the first president's birthday
This time of year calls for creativity and extensive research into what holidays to drink to. In my quest for a good cause and a proper drinking holiday, I came across an iconic alcohol producer and distributor who happened to be a famous general and former president - the guy on the $1 bill, George Washington.

Empire seems to be forgetting Ron Paul
I'm surprised, even ashamed. How is it that the front page of the Juneau Empire boldly claims, "Mike Huckabee sole remaining GOP competitor?" Last time I checked there were three remaining GOP candidates, John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul.

Fuzzy with substance
Barack Obama's message, "I want you to believe in change," etc., may make many feel warm and fuzzy. But I see no substance. I would like to see someone express my believe-ins: our constitution, our sovereignty and our rejection of a government that has made us an empire - still warm and fuzzy, but with some substance.

Ferries float on cash
All it takes to keep Alaska's ferry system afloat is about a $100 million subsidy from the state of Alaska. This is because the ferry system is a huge money loser, and federal earmarks are dwindling.

Parents upset about choice
A large majority of students are choosing Juneau-Douglas High School over its new counterpart because of the district's rush to push new, untested programs onto unwilling participants, some parents said Wednesday.

Dimond Park Pool designs vetted
The transformation of the Dimond Park Pool from a city wish into reality took off Thursday night with a presentation of four basic design concepts of a 34,000-square-foot, two-pool aquatic center.

Neighbors question ATV park proposal
A city-run public information session about a proposed Douglas Island all-terrain vehicle park came to a halt Wednesday night as North Douglas residents unloaded question after question about possible noise pollution generated by as many as 50 ATVs near their neighborhood.

Auto tech classes at JDHS may end
A popular elective program that lets Juneau's high school students work on cars may not be available to all but a few students next year.

Photo: JDHS team wins national competition
Juneau-Douglas High School students, rom left, Runa Skeie, Joe Croteau, Robin Woodby, Evan Wood and Kevin Craig, stand with with their trophy and winning home design Wednesday at the school. The group of five students won a national construction competition last week in Orlando, Fla. The students took first place in a design competition at the International Builders Show. Using computer-aided drawing software, the team drew up architectural plans for a house that is being built. The team had to present its plans to a panel of judges and answer the judges' questions. It beat out 11 other teams from around the country. Team members said they worked about 10 hours a week on the project since last fall, including during their lunch hours, after school and on weekends. "We have a good program and good students that work hard on this project," said teacher Craig Mapes, the team's sponsor. Various local construction-affiliated groups helped pay for the team's trip.

Photos: Sorting crabbers' catch
Above, workers process tanner crab Wednesday at the Alaska Glacier Seafood Co. plant. Left, Erik Elton grades out tanner crab at the plant. Crabbers have been bringing in their harvest of tanner and brown king crab for the season, which closed Wednesday. The catch rates are down from last year, according to Mike Erickson, co-owner of Alaska Glacier Seafood Co. The crab is being sent tomarkets in thewestern United States and Japan.

Correction
The Hooligan calendar listed an incorrect day for a live jazz performance by singer Sammi Baker, Tom Locher on piano, Clay Good on drums and Wayne Norlund on saxophone. They will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the The Island Pub in Douglas.

'Spiderwick' sticks to fantasy format
It's been a month or two since "The Golden Compass" left theaters, so the timing feels about right for the next fantastical adventure book to get transformed into a film.

Award-winning 'Michael Clayton' tops list
"Michael Clayton" is a tense and nuanced legal thriller about an attorney (George Clooney), a "fixer" at a powerful New York law firm. The film took in seven Academy Award nominations, including best picture, director and screenplay (both for Tony Gilroy), actor (Clooney) and supporting actor and actress (Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton). Clayton has to deal with a major crisis when the firm's top litigator goes over to the other side and becomes a whistleblower.

Sound Bites
In Denmark, the winter comes on like a thick sheet of ice, the sky darkens to gray, and booze makes up for the lack of warmth. That dark cool has always filled the Raveonettes' music, with Danish duo Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo weaving their noir tales with panache.

Lobbyist story threatens McCain image
WASHINGTON - John McCain sought to minimize damage to his man-of-character image and his presidential hopes Thursday, vigorously denying and denouncing a newspaper report suggesting an improper relationship with a female lobbyist.

Women of Distinction
Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies (AWARE) will hold its 12th annual Women of Distinction Gala and Silent Auction at 5:30 p.m. March 8 at Centennial Hall. The event will honor four distinguished women - Alberta Aspen, Betsy Brenneman, Helen Abbott-Watkins and Susan Baxter - who have made significant contributions to improving the lives of Juneau's women and children.

Photo: Locks of Love
Sierra Coleman, 8, of Juneau, has donated enough hair through Locks of Love to make a full wig for a cancer patient. She grew out her dark hair twice, once giving 10 inches and another 10 inches last Christmas. A student at Faith Community School, Coleman got the idea to donate her hair when her music teacher was diagnosed with cancer. "I felt sad for cancer patients," Coleman said. "Giving them hair was the only thing I could think to do to make them happier." When asked what she would tell others about donating, she said that by "doing something for (cancer patients), you would feel good inside as well."

Recognitions
Ariel Lyon, 17, of Juneau, and Noelle Schmitter-Schrier, 13, of Soldotna, were named Alaska's top two youth volunteers for 2008 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 13th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Thank you to the Snowmobile Club
Big thanks to the Juneau Snowmobile Club and especially Ray Howard for working with the Juneau Nordic Ski Club to groom nordic trails in Spaulding Meadows the weekend of Feb. 16 to 18.

Ayurveda tradition uses ginger root
"Let your food be your medicine" was the advice of Hippocrates, offered more than 2,000 years ago. The ancient traditions all relied on the healing properties of plants and developed a profound understanding of the value of certain foods in health.

Candy bar pie makes pick of the week
Calling all cooks! Look no further, this is where readers ask for and share recipes. Are you looking for a lost, forgotten or wish-you-had recipe? Ask Auntie Emo and let our readers help.

Katasses celebrate 21 years
Mary and Tim Katasse, of Juneau, were married by the Rev. Joe Bettridge on Feb. 21, 1987, at the Hoonah Presbyterian Church.

Tongass Alaska Girl Scout Council holds Thinking Day celebration
JUNEAU - The Tongass Alaska Girl Scout Council will hold its annual council-wide Thinking Day celebration from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday starting at the U.S. Forest Service Building, 8510 Back Loop Road, and continuing to Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church.

Southeast Alaska Conservation Council seeks photo submissions
JUNEAU - The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council is seeking submissions from professional and amateur photographers for its photo contest and exhibition "Wild Places, Wild People and Wild Life-Images from the Tongass." Photographs will be accepted until Feb. 29 and may be submitted by e-mail, CD or digital upload.

My Turn: Alaska needs energy relief
The people of Alaska face a critical situation regarding the rising cost of every form of energy we use, in both urban and rural parts of the state. The plain fact is that the rising cost of energy has become a threat to the viability of many communities, as well as individuals and family households.

My turn: Democrats' rhetoric raises more questions
While the turnout and winning percentage for Sen. Barack Obama at the Feb. 5 Democratic caucus was undoubtedly impressive, his campaign for "change" continues to raise as many questions as it does hope. Compounding this is the bitterness most Democratic voters feel over being betrayed by the party's broken 2006 promise to end the war. To avoid being duped again, it's incumbent upon us to begin mapping a response strategy for 2009.

What's your deal?
Like a high-stakes game of strip poker, people can reveal their cards slowly in the world of online dating. You can show your best cards first, while keeping some in the hole.

Marquee matchup set for JDHS gym
For Southeast Alaska basketball, it doesn't get much better than this weekend as two rivals, high stakes and one fired-up crowd converge in Juneau.

Mackey wins fourth straight Yukon Quest
Lance Mackey on Wednesday won his fourth consecutive Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, beating back the challenge of his neighbor - and a rookie - to do it.